Near North Schools off for Family Day

Near North District School Board
News Release

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The Provincial Government recently announced a new statutory holiday – Family Day, which is in addition to the current eight public holidays offered under the Employment Standards Act. This new holiday will occur on the third Monday in February each year and is for the purpose of emphasizing and celebrating the importance of families taking time to be together. As a result of the new holiday, all Near North District schools and offices will be closed on February 18, 2008.

Currently, collective agreements and terms and conditions provide for more than the eight public holidays therefore the Board is not required to provide February 18th, 2008 as a paid holiday. However, in the spirit of “Family Day”, for the 2007-08 school year only, the Board has decided to provide February 18, 2008 as a paid holiday to all employees who were expected to report to work on that day and be paid i.e.: all permanent employees, all temporary employees in long term assignments and lunch hour supervisors. This decision is made on a without precedence basis and it is expected that the Board and respective employee/union groups will have discussions for the planning of future Family Days.

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